


Little Girl

by LittleRose13



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Hinny, M/M, Married Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Minor Scorpius Malfoy/Albus Severus Potter, POV Harry Potter, family life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 16:07:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12084501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRose13/pseuds/LittleRose13
Summary: When Lily Luna Potter was born, she had almost no hair at all.Harry accepted the tiny bundle of blankets from his beaming wife as she settled herself more comfortably against her pillows and breathed a sigh of exhaustion. He looked down admiringly at their little girl, feeling that familiar newborn rush swell inside his heart coupled with another sensation of fierce protectiveness, impossibly stronger even than Harry had felt when he had first held James or Albus.A series of scenes in Lily Luna's life, as told by Harry.





	Little Girl

8th May, 2008

When Lily Luna Potter was born, she had almost no hair at all.

Harry accepted the tiny bundle of blankets from his beaming wife as she settled herself more comfortably against her pillows and breathed a sigh of exhaustion. He looked down admiringly at their little girl, feeling that familiar newborn rush swell inside his heart coupled with another sensation of fierce protectiveness, impossibly stronger even than Harry had felt when he had first held James or Albus.

The baby's eyelashes fluttered softly and her round eyes found her father's, locking onto his face with apparent fascination. Harry stared back at her in awe, savouring this very first moment as a father to his little girl. _Their_ little girl.

He moved closer to Ginny, placing one arm around his exhausted wife and adjusting the tiny baby to rest nestled between their bodies. The couple shared the briefest of looks before instantly being drawn back to the newborn who was wriggling gently where she lay in her father's arms, her entire body fitting snugly into his forearm. She was impossibly tiny, smaller by far than Albus or James had been.

"She's a fighter." Ginny breathed, on the same wavelength as Harry.

"You're a hero." Harry stated, the enormity of the situation only just settling with him. The calm and joyful atmosphere also played host to the distinct feeling of relief. For only hours before, the pacing and muttering had taken hold as Ginny was whisked away by a team of healers and Harry was left gripping Ron's forearm so tightly he left marks, trying not to consider the thought that this hadn't happened the first two times, that he had been allowed by her side the whole way.

"Our little Lily Luna." Ginny said, the faintest of questions in her voice as she tested out the agreed name of their baby. Neither parent could take their eyes off the baby and there was silence for a few moments.

"Welcome to the Potter Family, Lily Luna." Harry confirmed that the name was perfect for the silent baby cuddled into him as he stroked the soft, downy surface of her head.

* * *

 

"You have to sit _very_ still James." Harry lightly reprimanded his three-year-old who immediately obeyed, sitting bolt upright with both arms outstretched as though he was about to be handed a quaffle. His two-year-old brother squashed into his side, looking past James' arms, and Teddy chuckled as he gently handed baby Lily back to her father, a grin on his face.

"Now?" the little boy asked expectantly, his eyes fixed on the bundle in Harry's arms.

"Here. This is your sister, Lily Luna" Harry said, gently lowering James' extended arms to his sides and placing the tiny baby between them, keeping one hand supporting her head as he settled on the sofa beside his eldest. James gazed at the baby in silent wonderment, broken by Albus who had pulled himself up to his knees, using Teddy as a lever, to peer at the baby in his brother's arms.

"Little sister." He stated confidently, pointing his finger in the direction of Lily. He clambered off the sofa and toddled towards his mother. "I hold?" he asked innocently as Ginny pulled him onto her lap and held him close.

"After James has had his turn." Ginny said to the contented Albus, who was watching his brother holding his baby sister.

James sat proudly, looking as pleased as anything with the baby across him. He grinned up at Teddy who sat beside him on one side and then his father who was sat on his other side before returning his gaze to Lily, who seemed to have captured her big brother's heart. "Why she got no hair?" James questioned the room at large, finally looking up from his baby sister. Harry laughed, remembering that James' only other experience with a newborn baby was Albus, who was born with a full head of trademark Potter jet black tufts.

"You looked like that when you were born." Teddy told James seriously and the little boy stared confusedly at his sister, his eyes flicking up to his own messy, dark red fringe as if wondering how that could be possible.

"Some babies take a little longer James." Ginny explained, Al still cuddled into her with a thumb in his mouth.

"Do you think she's gonna be a redhead?" the ten-year-old asked enthusiastically, screwing up his face slightly as he changed his own hair to match his question.

" _Going to."_ Harry corrected absent-mindedly. "What do you reckon Gin?"

"I think we can rule out the Potter hair genes." Ginny joked, stroking Al's dark hair as she spoke, and Teddy laughed. "Mum thinks so Ted, that's how we all looked as babies."

And sure enough, shortly before her first birthday, the Potters awoke one morning to a little girl with decidedly red strands.

* * *

 

12th August, 2011

"No!" the little girl's voice carried through the house, accompanied by the pattering of socked feet on carpet. Ginny sighed wistfully as she re-entered the kitchen and shared a look with Harry.

"What happened to our little angel of just a few months ago?" she questioned and Harry chuckled, fastening his cloak. "We'll never be there on time now."

"And everyone said the terrible twos were bad." He sighed meaningfully, leaving the room to locate his stubborn daughter. Not a difficult task when the sounds of gleeful giggling made her hiding place quite obvious. Harry dropped to his knees beside the quivering, redheaded lump curled on the carpet in the big space behind the sofa and placed a hand gently on her back. "Found you."

Lily's head popped up, still giggling, and she faced her father with an innocent look, her gaze dropping instantly to his hands and relaxing when she saw they were empty. "Where's Mummy?" she enquired suspiciously.

"In the kitchen, Petal." Harry started gently. "Where we should be too!" he said, grabbing the little girl around the waist and lifting her high up and over his shoulder, tickling her mercilessly. Lily laughed joyfully from her father's arms, not caring that she was being returned to the very place she had run away from.

"Now Lily, my best girl," Harry spoke very seriously to his three-year-old who giggled again at his voice. He settled himself at the kitchen table with her as he spoke. "I want you to be good for Mummy and sit here on my lap all nice and still while she brushes your hair and then we can leave for Grandma's before Al and James think we've forgotten about them."

"Don't _want_ mummy to brush my hair." Lily muttered but she obeyed her father and stayed still on his lap, leaning back comfortably into his arms. A mischievous glint appeared in Lily's eyes. "Want _Tebby_ to brush my hair! Tebby is soft!"

"Teddy's at Hogwarts!" Ginny said, exasperated, the hairbrush ready in her hand. "He can't brush your hair today."

"Then _no hair brush."_ She commanded wilfully. Harry turned his daughter to face him and gave her a very serious look, all ready to reprimand her for speaking to her mother that way. Lily turned her gaze to her father and stared at him glumly and Harry's resolve broke in an instant.

Ginny scoffed and Harry heard the words 'wrapped around her little finger' as she muttered to herself and placed the hairbrush on the table, going to retrieve her own cloak. Harry picked it up uncertainly, Lily side-eyed him.

"Daddy can brush my hair." She finally stated matter-of-factly, as if bestowing a huge honour. Harry grinned and began to carefully pull the brush through Lily's soft, fiery locks, still curling up into ringlets at the very end where her baby hair remained. Ginny returned with Lily's coat to see her daughter sitting angelically on her father's lap, allowing him to neatly brush her hair out until it sat in pretty waves just past her little shoulders. He pressed a kiss to the top of Lily's head and replaced the brush on the table, standing up and swinging Lily onto his hip.

"Now Lily can brush Daddy's hair!" Lily cried gleefully, waving the hairbrush from where she had swiped it from the table and brandishing it towards Harry, tugging the neat knot in the back of his head free with the bristles of the hairbrush. Harry sighed and reached up to remove his daughter's hand from his own, now dishevelled, hair.

"At least one of you looks presentable." Ginny grinned from the fireplace as she opened the jar of floo powder.

* * *

1st September, 2014

"Morning." Ginny's voice was the first thing Harry heard as he stirred and noticed she wasn't beside him but was instead at the dressing table, a steaming mug of coffee sat in front of her. She pointed to the bedside table. "I made you one too."

Harry felt around for his glasses which sat beside an identical coffee mug and pushed them onto his nose hurriedly. "What time is it?"

"Much too early." Ginny replied. It was a rare occasion that Ginny awoke before Harry did; it was normally him who made the coffee.

"Big day for you today." Harry said, pushing himself up on the pillows and gripping the coffee in both hands.

Ginny let out a breath as she straightened the collar of her dress. Today marked Ginny's first day of her new career as sports reporter for _The Daily Prophet,_ a job which brought with it an early start time. "Big day for me? Harry, I think you've got the biggest challenge today." She teased.

Harry reflected on his upcoming day. The first day of the new school year for James, Albus and Lily who attended the local muggle primary school was often an interesting experience. After a summer of not having to remember to keep conversations about magic to a minimum, the first day often presented itself with at least one awkward conversation with a teacher.

Ginny checked her watch and picked up her wand. "I'll say bye to the kids, and then I'll meet you at King's Cross at 10:30?" she enquired from the door.

"Right, for Teddy's sixth year." Harry nodded. "Although I think he's too cool for us these days."

"Oh shush, you know he'll want you there." Ginny commented and left the room.

Harry checked the clock: school starts in an hour and a half, how hard could this be?

An hour later, Harry was cursing himself for being so relaxed.

"No Al, you can _not_ take your pygmy puff to school, no James, you _can't_ have the day off to see Teddy and no Lily, you _do_ need to wear your school uniform." Harry sighed. "James, help your sister with her shoes please. Al, finish your breakfast."

"What's year two like Daddy?" Lily asked from where James was doing her shoe buckle up obediently. Harry ran a hand through his long hair, hurriedly trying to fix it back into its usual knot in the first moment of calm he'd had all morning, and considered Lily's question. He thought back to his own school days, trying to distinguish which one was year two. It was a blur of Dudley chasing him around the playground and hiding behind things.

"You're going to love year two." He told her carefully and Al nodded his agreement from the breakfast table.

"You have my teacher from last year Lily, she's the best!" he grinned, swallowing his last mouthful of toast.

"It's almost as good as year six!" James announced, straightening up from Lily's shoe and taking his little sister's hand to pull her to her feet. "I'll look after you Lily." He said, and Harry felt a rush of pride for his eldest.

"I don't _need_ looking after." Lily replied stubbornly, approaching her father and sitting down at the chair in front of him. "Do a plait please." She added as an afterthought and Harry started, jolted from his thoughts about his eldest.

"A plait? Right, yes, a plait." Harry said uncertainly, brushing his daughter's long, red hair and carefully weaving it together down her back. Ginny had taught Harry how to do their daughter's hair for school when it became apparent that she would need to leave first for work in the morning.

The Potter family left the house on time, all three children in uniform and their summer homework stored safely in their bags, lunchboxes swinging from each child's wrist. Harry looked quite pleased with himself as James strode on ahead, Al hung back and Lily swung on his arm.

"Bye dad!" James said within an instant of arriving at the school gates, a few minutes' walk from the house, as he rushed off to see his friends.

Harry raised a hand in a wave and looked down at Albus, who had spotted a friend on the other side of the playground and was waving shyly. The school bell rang and Al and his friend walked towards each other and into the school entrance. Lily clung to Harry's hand tightly and kicked at the ground in her new school shoes.

"Lily-Lu?" Harry noted the uncharacteristic behaviour of his daughter. "You okay?"

Lily sniffed. "Gonna miss you Daddy!" she threw her arms around his knees and he stroked the top of her head before bending down to her level.

"I'll see you very soon when you've finished your first day." He explained kindly. "Let's go and meet your teacher." And he took her little hand in his and walked his daughter to the entrance of her classroom, breathing normally for the first time that day.

* * *

31st August, 2019

Harry knocked gently on the door and pushed it open when his son responded. James' room was lit only by his reading light but Harry could see that a second figure was present in the room, lounging relaxed across James' bed. "Brilliant, you're both in here." His sons, thirteen and fifteen, grinned sheepishly and Harry decided not to ask what he had walked in on.

"Now, I wanted to talk to you both about tomorrow." Harry began, sitting on the end of James' bed.

"Ah, here he goes." James nudged Albus, who snorted. "I did think you were leaving it a bit late."

Harry looked confused.

"Lil's first day." James stated. "That's what you've come to talk to us about isn't it?"

"It's okay Dad, we know what you're going to say." Al started as Harry looked slightly flustered.

"Look after your little sister." James began.

"Make sure she stays away from Peeves." Albus added.

"Don't let her get lost in the first week."

"Remind her to write to you."

"Make sure she's eating properly at meal times."

"Take her breakfast in bed at weekends."

"Do all of her homework for her."

"Recommend her Ministry of Magic career options."

"Hex any boy who looks at her."

Harry gaped as the boys' suggestions got wilder and wilder.

"That sort of thing yes?" James eventually stopped, grinning.

Harry sighed and chuckled at his sons, placing an arm around each of them. "Your mum did a good job with you two."

"Mum?" Albus responded, surprised.

"Dad, that's all you." James said seriously. "You and your Lily-Lu." He teased.

"Your Petal." Albus added.

"Your Raindrop."

"Your Flower."

"Alright, enough." Harry stopped them with a look but he was still grinning. "Just promise me you will okay?" Harry knew this question was unnecessary but it was one way he could make himself feel just a tiny bit calmer about his little girl leaving for Hogwarts in the morning.

"Dad, she's our little sister, of course we'll look after her." James said and Al nodded. Harry swelled with pride for his sons.

* * *

9th April, 2022

The colourful stands were alive with an electric buzz of excitement, a sea of red and green visible surrounding the enormous pitch. Although there no players yet visible, the crowd were already relentless in their chanting and taunting, banners waving from all angles. Harry glanced around, taking in the atmosphere and noting that it was possibly more charged than any Quidditch game he had ever attended, including some of Ginny's matches with the Harpies. He caught her eye and she seemed to be thinking a similar thought.

"I don't think I've ever felt so conflicted in all my life." She said, not for the first time that day, in response to a question from Neville, who was on Harry's other side.

"It had to happen someday though," Neville said kindly, "the Quidditch cup final between Gryffindor and Slytherin and all of your children playing."

Harry grimaced and stared out over the still-empty pitch in thought.

"Harry," Neville addressed him directly, "wait til you see James!" Harry thought this was an odd thing to say, as though Neville was implying Harry had never seen his own son fly before, let alone taught him in their own back garden when James was a little boy. Similarly, Gryffindor had made it to the final before (which parents were invited to) and Harry had now twice experienced seeing his eldest swoop around the Hogwarts stadium in red and gold robes with Potter emblazoned on the back, living up to both his namesake and his mother's legacy as he scored time after time with the quaffle.

"Neville, what do you-?" Harry began to question his old school friend.

"Oh I don't mean see him play!" Neville corrected himself quickly. "I mean, wait til you see James _the captain._ " He said this phrase with a sense of reverence in his voice. Harry grinned widely at Neville and thought about this statement; knowing his son, the sight was likely to make Harry burst with pride.

"And now we welcome to the pitch, GRYFFINDOR!" Hugo Weasley's voice boomed out from the commentator's stand as the crowd increased further in volume and a mass of red and gold entered the pitch, their brooms over their shoulders and grins on their faces. Not one member of the team appeared nervous.

Leading them proudly to the middle of the pitch was James, his dark red hair looking neat for once, his captain's robes immaculate. Right beside him, perhaps closer together than any two other members of the Gryffindor team, was Lily, the smallest on the team and the only third year. Her eyes scanned the huge crowds, taking it all in with a smile on her face, and they stopped when her gaze reached the stand Harry and Ginny stood in, flanked by Neville and Teddy, who had come up from work in Hogsmeade. She gave a cheery wave.

"Her first Quidditch final." Ginny murmured, gazing down at her daughter from their great height. Harry squeezed her arm and followed her gaze. Lily seemed miniscule from where they were, dwarfed by her tall, elder brother who whispered something into her ear and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Here to defend their title, it's SLYTHERIN!" Hugo's voice carried across the stands again and the opposite side of the pitch became home to a green and silver blur as the Slytherin team hurried out. Harry cheered just as loudly as he had for Gryffindor, searching for his son in the group. Sixteen-year-old Albus strode along confidently with his broom resting casually over one shoulder. He stopped and exchanged glances with James, one eyebrow quirked upwards. James grinned back.

Harry knew his boys and there was a very good reason they hadn't been allowed to share a room growing up. Al playing as Keeper with James as Chaser was one of the most highly anticipated aspects of the upcoming match. He could practically feel Teddy fizzing with excitement as James and the Slytherin captain shook hands.

The whistle blew and all fourteen players mounted their brooms. Lily's face was set as she stared down the Slytherin seeker, the whistle blew again and the teams ascended into the air. The quaffle was released and the game immediately took action as James swerved effortlessly to catch it and tore up the pitch towards his brother.

Neville was right. Harry watched his son, his performance as an excellent Chaser taking on a new dimension as he over saw the rest of the team. He seemed to communicate with the players without having to say anything, himself and the other two Chasers seamlessly switching formations as the quaffle switched possession.

They grew nearer and nearer to the goalposts, the Slytherin Chasers fighting desperately to intercept the quaffle. Al covered the hoops, his face set with a determination Harry hadn't seen since he had taken his first steps. Harry internally echoed Ginny's previous sentiment about never having felt this conflicted in all his life. He was gripped with a desire to see James succeed in planting the quaffle through the hoop at the same time as fiercely wanting Albus to make the save; it was a very confusing emotion. James scored while simultaneously managing to alert his beaters of a bludger heading straight for Lily.

Lily neatly skimmed out of the way of the oncoming bludger and whizzed away from the beater who pursued it. She flew faster than anyone else on the team, her light, speedy build allowing her to whip past and up above the Chasers, her long, red hair streaming behind her like a banner, her eyes constantly scanning for the snitch. Suddenly, Harry was 13 years old again, steering his Firebolt on the path Lily was currently taking in this very stadium, his heart beating fiercely with pride for her.

Suddenly, Lily rose upwards, higher than before so Harry was forced to look up to keep watching her. She had taken both hands off her broom in a move that made Harry grab tightly onto both Ginny and Neville. "What is she doing?" he breathed in panic nobody else was seeming to share.

"Has she seen the snitch?" Teddy questioned excitedly, tearing his eyes away from the most recent Al/James showdown (Albus had saved it rather impressively and James was clapping him on the back as the score was updated).

"She's fixing her hair." Ginny sighed casually, her gaze flitting between her daughter above her and her sons who had resumed play.

Lily gripped her broom tightly with her knees, her arms raised as her hands expertly and swiftly pulled her loosened, long hair out of her face and wrapped it into a messy bun in seconds. The whole time, her eyes scanned the pitch for any signs the Slytherin seeker might have spotted the snitch.

Almost immediately after her hair was secure in a red top knot, Lily was streaking downwards again, painfully fast as she rocketed vertically towards the grass. The Slytherin seeker was on her tail.

"She's feinting, she's feinting come on Lil!" Harry was gripped at the scene, willing his daughter to pull out of the dive, even though he knew himself he would have waited a bit longer. At the last second, she pulled out of the dive smoothly, leaving the poor Slytherin seeker with a mouthful of pitch. "That's my girl!" Harry yelled, feeling a prick of tears behind his eyes as Lily shot off again, taking advantage of the Slytherin seeker's temporary absence.

"Now she's seen it!" Teddy yelled and Harry checked the score. It was 90 points apiece and was all resting on the seekers. Even though Lily's success would now mean a disappointment for Albus, Harry could hardly back the other seeker.

Lily sped towards a far corner of the pitch near the Slytherin posts, her eyes fixed on a point ahead of her where Harry recognised a familiar gold glint. The wind whipped around her, dislodging her hair once again and allowing it to stream around her, obscuring her vision. Her arm stretched out blindly to hold her hair back, and then the other arm joined it, fingertips just grazing the fluttering wings and as her hand closed around it, she was thrown backward and off her broom with the force of a bludger from ahead.

As the bludger made contact, Harry didn't breathe. He immediately went for his wand, Auror instinct kicking in as he went to soften his daughter's fall. But just as the incantation left his mouth, Lily's path was blocked by something else: a flash of red and green swooped in below her and caught her before she even came close to the ground. The relieved and bemused faces of Albus and James found their father's gaze as they held their little sister between them across both of their brooms.

Harry was basically _on_ the pitch, he was hanging so far over the edge of the stand, yelling himself hoarse at all three of his children as the Gryffindor stand erupted with cheers.

"Lily Potter catches the snitch and, er, James and Albus Potter catch Lily Potter!" Hugo spoke over the cacophony of cheers. "Gryffindor win the cup!" The huge, Quidditch cup began to levitate from its stand to be collected by Professor McGonagall who was looking for James. But Harry could only focus on one thing: the alarmed expressions on both of his sons' faces and the fact that they were still heavily supporting their sister between them despite being back on the ground. The golden snitch was rolling feebly away from the scene.

Ginny had noticed too and was all too keen to follow Harry as he urgently grabbed her hand and sprinted down the back of the stand and out onto the pitch, Teddy not far behind. As he approached the players, they scattered, leaving a free path to where Albus and James were gently lowering Lily to the ground, James on his knees resting Lily's heavy head across his lap, staring at her in horror.

"Lily!" Harry said urgently, throwing himself down beside his son. Both her eyes were closed and she didn't respond. Without thinking, Harry placed both arms under her body and scooped her up towards him, cradling her as if she were a baby again.

"Harry, Madam Pomfrey!" Ginny said breathlessly, gesturing to where the matron was hurtling towards them. Teddy had his arm round Albus and a hand on James' shoulder and he moved to let her through.

Madam Pomfrey took one look at Lily and withdrew her wand, pointing it at the red-haired girl curled in her father's arms. " _Ennervate!"_

There was a moment of silence, the whole stadium seemed to be holding its breath.

Lily's eyelashes fluttered and slowly opened, revealing her bright, brown eyes which took in the scene around her. "Daddy." She said softly and chuckled into his chest. "I caught the snitch!"

Harry let out the biggest sigh of relief he'd ever known himself capable of achieving and lowered to the ground, Lily still held to him. "Lily-Lu you frightened the life out of us!" he gently reprimanded, even though he knew he could never be angry at her. As Harry spoke, his family closed in around him; Ginny swept Lily's hair from her face, Albus looked shaken and James had tears on his face, still clutching onto Teddy. "Why did you let go of your broom with both hands?"

"I couldn't see the snitch, my hair was in the way." She complained feebly. Harry sighed.

" _Please_ will you plait your hair next time, like I _keep telling you._ " Ginny said after placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"I can't plait it by myself!" Lily retorted.

"I'll teach you, we can practise together. Anything. Just _don't_ ever do that again, Petal." Harry told her, and he even managed a soft chuckle now he knew his little girl was alright.

"We won the cup James!" Lily twisted in Harry's arms, pushing herself upright slightly and facing her brother. "Why are you crying?"

"C'mere, you absolute donut." He brushed his cheek with one hand and pulled Lily up with the other, wrapping her into a tight hug which he dragged Albus into at the last minute. "You're lucky you have brothers with such good reflexes." He grinned as he pulled away.

"Hey! I was in the middle of a cushioning charm when you caught her." Harry replied, mock offended.

Professor McGonagall seemed to sense it was now the moment and gave Hugo a thumbs-up. "Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for this year's Quidditch champions, GRYFFINDOR!"

James ambled over, Lily still clutched to his side, and reached his team mates as the cup was placed into his hands and his eyes filled with tears again as he beamed around at them all. Harry took Ginny's hand and pulled her towards him as Albus rushed over to congratulate the winners.

"That," he said, wrapping an arm around her, "was bloody terrifying."

* * *

2nd July, 2024

The familiar platform was filled with the usual bustle of busy families and the early summer sunshine was still apparent despite it being evening.

"Seems strange that we'll only have one left at school next year." Ginny said as the train could be heard approaching. Harry considered her statement, reflecting on just how quickly the recent years seemed to have gone. Lily was going to be a _sixth year_. His little Lily-Lu, a N.E.W.T student!

The train rounded the bend and slowed as it pulled up to the platform. Doors flew open and children began to rush from each carriage, looking for their parents. Albus emerged almost immediately, Scorpius in tow, and Harry pulled them both into tight hugs. Ginny mirrored him.

"Where's Lil?" Harry asked, scanning the crowds of students for his daughter. Albus and Scorpius exchanged looks.

"She's, er, just coming." Albus responded with a slight hesitation and looked at his mother, who grinned.

"There she is." Ginny pointed to a spot in the distance where Lily could be seen emerging from the train, _holding hands with a boy_. Harry felt his heart freeze as the scene before him unfolded. His little Lily Petal? She couldn't have..? No!

Harry gave a bewildered look back at his family, who all looked rather sheepish.

"You all knew didn't you." He said shortly.

"We thought you'd be happier ignorant Dad." Albus grinned and Harry turned back to where he could still see his daughter bidding farewell.

"But she's... she's..." words failed Harry as he felt Ginny appear by his side and slip an arm around his waist. "my little girl." He finished lamely.

"She's not so little anymore Harry. In fact," Ginny grinned playfully, "she's the same age I was when we got together." Harry felt the remaining blood in his face rush away and looked again at his steadily approaching daughter.

"Her hair!" Harry erupted again, rounding on Ginny. "What has she done to her hair?" Lily's red waves which had previously fallen to the middle of her back now stopped above her shoulders.

"Relax, she's wanted it like that for ages, ever since that Quidditch game in her third year." Ginny left his side and went to envelope Lily in a hug, Harry stood shell shocked.

"Did you know about this?" Harry enquired of Albus.

"Well, yeah." Albus looked confused at Harry's expression of distrust. "Teddy did it for her last month. Dad, what's the big deal? Should I be writing to you every time Teddy cuts _my_ hair?" Albus laughed.

Harry paused for a second, trying to figure out why he felt so strongly about this. His Lily-Lu had _always_ had long hair, ever since she was a little girl and Harry started to realise that seeing her like that was a sharp reminder that she _wasn't_ a little girl anymore.

"Dad!" his thoughts were interrupted by Lily throwing herself at him and kissing him on the cheek. He gathered her up into a hug so tight her feet left the ground.

"Lily-Lu!" he greeted her as he lowered her back to the ground. "Er, I like your hair. New friend too?" He gestured vaguely to where he had seen his daughter wishing her new 'friend' goodbye.

Lily narrowed her eyes slightly and shook her head at her father. "Oh Daddy." She sighed and threw an arm around him, the top of her head just reaching his shoulder as the family started to leave the platform. "Is Teddy coming for dinner?"

"Like always." Harry started as they walked arm in arm. "And I'll be having a word with him about influencing my little girl." He half-joked, nodding at her hair.

Lily rolled her eyes at him. "Dad! As if anyone could influence me? This was my idea! It took most of this year to convince Teddy to do it, he kept being mysteriously fully-booked every Hogsmeade weekend."

Harry grinned to himself, knowing he would have been just as powerless in Teddy's position.

"And Dad?" she stopped and turned to face him. "I'm still your little girl, promise." Harry smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"Just don't tell James ok? I'm not sure he'll cope." Lily chuckled and ran off to her mother leaving Harry at the back of the group. Harry watched her go, smiling to himself at his little girl.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my favourite thing I've written recently! I adore writing Harry with Lily Luna!  
> Please let me know what you thought, I am working on my characterisation at the moment so any feedback on how that came across is always welcomed. This has inspired about 6842954 ideas for spin offs so look out for more new stuff soon  
> Update: started posting said spin off [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12210279/chapters/27730446)
> 
> follow my [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/littlerose13writes) for updates: littlerose13writes


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